1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a clamp structure and, in particular, to a clamp structure used in a solar cell.
2. Description of Related Art
With an increasing shortage of modern energy, the development of new energy sources—such as the solar cell—has drawn great attention from the international community. The solar cell has a plurality of advantages such as environmental friendliness, energy saving, and a wide application range. Also, the solar cell technology is currently more mature than any other alternative energy technologies. Nowadays, the improvement of solar cell performance has become a common goal in the industry. In order to achieve that goal, it is important to draw electricity out of the solar cell efficiently. In general, the electricity generated by a solar cell is led out of the solar cell by a conductive ribbon, and a junction box is usually used to keep the conductive ribbon firmly connected to other power transmission lines. The conductive ribbon is firmly connected to the terminals in the junction box, before the terminals are connected to the power transmission lines to output electricity. As such, it is critical to connect the junction box to the solar panel stably and securely.
Conventionally, a junction box and a solar panel that have been bonded with an adhesive will not be configured on a support until the adhesive is completely cured, and the most frequently used adhesive is silicone, which, due to its advantageous feature of being highly resistant to both heat and cold, has broad industrial applications, particularly in sealing or bonding objects. In case of a solar cell, silicone is used to bond a junction box to a solar panel not only to enhance the connection stability of the junction box and its terminals, but also to ensure the normal function and service life of the solar cell.
However, the silicone used to bond the junction box and the solar panel takes at least half a day to a day to become completely cured. During the long bonding and curing process, the connected portions of the junction box and the solar panel may shift because of an external force or gravity any time before the adhesive is cured. The shifting may cause the connection between the conductive ribbon and the junction box to loosen, which is detrimental to power transmission. In the worst case, the shifting may cause malposition of the connected portions and compromise the power transmission function of the solar panel such that the solar panel cannot be used normally. Hence, it is extremely important to securely maintain the relative positions of the junction box and the solar panel.
In view of the above, it is a goal of research and development in the relevant industry to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and to provide a means for connecting a junction box and a solar panel with increased convenience and higher efficiency.